Links and links knitting machine with pivotal jacks



Oct. 8, 1968 5, MW; 3,404,546

LINKS AND LINKS KNITTING MACHINE WITH PIVOTAL JACKS Filed Jan. 30, 19675 Sheets-Sheetl INVENTOR. Sum Mishcon BY WITNESS:

04-04 4844 ATTORNEY msHcoN Oct. 8, 1968 LINKS AND LINKS KNITTING MACHINEWITH PIVOTAL JACKS Filed Jan. 30, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INYENTOR. SumMlsh con ATTORNEY WITNESS:

Oct. 8, 1968 s. MISHCON 3,404,545

LINKS AND LINKS KNITTING MACHINE WITH PIVOTAL JACKS Filed Jan. 50, 19673 Sheets-Sheet s INVENTOR. Sam Mishcon WI"I'NESS: BY

' d ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofice 3,404,546 Patented Oct. 8, 19683,404,546 LINKS AND LINKS KNITTING MACHINE WITH PIVOTAL JACKS SamMishcon, Miami Beach, Fla., assignor to The Singer Company, New York,N.Y., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Jan. 30, 1967, Ser. No. 612,6943 Claims. (Cl. 66-14) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A knitting machine formaking purl cloth is described as embodying superposed cylinders anddouble ended needles. The needles are described as being positionablefrom one needle cylinder to the other by means of jacks having pivotalmembers, such pivotal members seizing and releasing the needlesperiodically, for passage of the needles between the cylinders, wherebystitches are formed. Each pivotal member of each jack is supported at anintermediate point of each pivotal member on a second jack part; thesecond jack part is provided with a buttfor jack positioningpurposes-and a cutout into which the free end of the pivotal member maybe depressed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (1) Field of the invention A knittingmachine according to the invention is of the independent needle type,each needle thereof being double ended and adapted to cooperate with arespective pair of jacks. One jack locates in a first needle cylinderthat is superposed with respect to another needle cylinder, and theslots of both cylinders are spacially aligned. Actuation of the jacksmay effect passing of a given needle from one cylinder to the other, theneedle in passing through the space dividing the cylinders taking yarnfed thereat, first with one needle end (as the needle goes, say, fromthe lower needle cylinder to the upper needle cylinder), and then withthe other needle end (as the needle goes from the upper needle cylinderto the lower needle cylinder), whereby cloth is formed for exampleconsisting of purl stitches. The invention is directed to just such aknitting machine and in particular to a jack/ needle combination usefultherewith, which jack/needle combination permits of easy cam design andmachine maintenance and repair. While the invention is indicated in thenature of a circular machine, it is not so limited, and may in fact beemployed with flat bed knitting machines.

(2) Background of the invention Links and links knitting machines aspresently available in the art are best illustrated by the machine shownand described in US. Patent No. 2,820,354, issued J an. 21, 1958. Asindicated in such patent, assorted cams (C-1, -2, -3, -4; 18; 21; etc.)are designed to operate on the jacks thereof so that the needlescorresponding with such jacks may :be passed between the needlecylinders properly: The cams of such prior art machines must be ideallysituated with respect to their respective needle cylinders, for not onlymust one jack take control of a given needle at a precise instant, butso too must a corresponding jack timely give up control of the needlebeing transferred. In other words, two separate jack motions arerequired for proper needle transfer in a links and links knittingmachine, viz. one motion that is updown and another motion that effectsjack pivoting for needle disengagement. By requiring both such motionsof a single one-piece jack, the prior art has built into such prior artlinks and links machines undue and unnecessary complexity, thisattendantly requiring comparatively astute knitting machine mechanicsfor the timing, maintenance and repair of prior art links and linksmachines.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION To obviate the complexity of prior art linksand links machines, and thereby make links and links machines morecommercially useful and practical, the invention provides a jack/needlecombination that does not require complex camminlg arrangements for thetimely engagement/release of double ended needles. A jack according tothe invention has a first part provided with a butt adapted to engage araise cam; and with a second, needle-engaging part that is pivotallysupported on the first jack part. In its presently preferred form, theneedleengaging part of the jack is pivotally coupled to the first partof the jack at a fulcrum point located between the ends of theneedle-engaging part of the jack, such needleengaging part beingprovided with a beak for engaging one of the hooks of the needle inquestion. Pressing one end of the needle-engaging part of the jack, say,by means of a cam, lifts such part for needle-release; pressing theother end of the needle-engaging part of the jack lowers such part forneedle-engagement. Since the jack of the invention is two-piece, withits working end pivotal, one required jack motion (up-down) may beeffected by operating simply on the first jack part; and the otherrequired jack motion (pivotal) for needle release may be effected byoperating simply on the other, or needleengaging jack part, thisattendantly being simpler than what has heretofore been the practice ofthe prior art. In its presently preferred form, the pivotalneedle-releasing motion of the second jack part is brought aboutautomatically by virtue of the up-down motion of the first jack part,this being by means of a cam follower boss, on the pivotalneedle-engaging part of the jack, that engages with the aforementionedpressing cam as said jack moves up and down.

A principal object of the invention is to provide a links and linksknitting machine of simple construction and de- Slgll.

Another object of the invention is to provide a links and links knittingmachine that employs jacks having one part designed forneedle-engagement purposes, which one part if pivotally supported onanother jack part that is designed for needle-raising purposes.

Another object of the invention is to provide a jack for use with alinks and links knitting machine, such jack having one part designed forneedle-engagement purposes, which one part is pivotally supported on.another jack part that is designed for needle-raising purposes.

The invention will be described with reference to the figures whereinFIG. 1 is a side elevational view partially in section illustrating alinks and links knitting machine according to the invention,

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the cam system of the machine of FIG.1,

FIG. 3 is a perspective view partially in section, illustrating a partof the machine of FIG. 1, and being useful for indicating the operationof the machine of FIG. 1, and

FIG. 4 is a side view of a presently preferred form of jack useful topractice the invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1-3, a pair of superposed needle cylinders 10, 12 ofa links and links knitting machine according to the invention mountrespective pluralities of jacks 14, 16 in their respective needle/jackslots 18, 20.

The needle cylinders 10,-'12 in this form of the invention areheld,stationary...by means not shown, and surrounding the needlecylinders 10, 12 are rings of respective cam sections 22, 24. The camsections 22, 24 are tied together by means of braces 26 (several areemployed although only one is herein shown), and such cam sections areadapted for rotation about the needle cylinders 10, 12. Each cam section22 secures by means of bolts 27 to a ring gear 28 that rests within ashouldered cutout 30 in an outer ring 32, andsuch outer ring 32 isfixedly supported on legs, not shown. The shouldered cutout 30 serves asa bearing surface for the ring gear 28.

The cam sections 24 are secured through a ring 33 to the braces 26 bymeans of bolts 34, and the braces are, in turn, secured to the sections22 by means of bolts 36. Hence, rotation of the ring gear 28 on itsbearing surface 30 carries with it both the cam sections 22 and the camsections 24.

As best illustrated in FIG. 2, 3 the sections 22, 24 mount respectivecombinations of raising, stitch and guide cams, FIG. 1 being a viewtaken generally along the line 1-1 of FIG. 3. Each cam section 22 mountsa stitch cam 40, followed by a raise cam 42 (according to the directionof cam rotation as indicated by the arrow of FIG. 3); in turn, the raiseearn 42 is followed by guide cams 44. Each cam section 24 mounts astitch cam 46 followed by a raise cam 48; and the stitch cam 48 is, inturn, followed by guide earns 50.

Reference should now be had to FIG. 4. Jacks 14, 16 according to theinvention are two-piece, having a first part 52 with a butt 54 and aneedle-hook receiving end 56. The second, or needle engaging andreleasing, part 58 is secured to the jack part 52 at a pivotal socketand fulcrum point 60, and such second jack part is provided with aneedle engaging beak 62, and a cam follower end 64. Pressing the camfollowing end 64 of the jack part 58 causes such part to pivot at itsfulcrum point 60, whereby the end 64 seats within a cutout 66 of thejack part 52. The other end of the needle engaging and releasing part 58of the jack is provided with a pointed tip 68 that serves to ride underthe latch of its respective needle 70 and thereby cam such latch open.

Again referring to FIGS. l3, bands 72, 74 respectively surround theneedle cylinders 10, 12, and serve as cams for pressing the respectivecam follower ends 64 of the jack parts 58 into their respective jackcutouts 66, this being as such jacks are moved up and down in responseto the raise (42, 48) and stitch (40, 46) cams as the cam sections 22,24 are rotated with respect to the needles 70. Rotating with the camsections 22, 24, and adapted to feed yarn 75 at the juncture between theneedle cylinders 10, 12, are yarn feeds 76, one thereof being shown,whereby cloth 78, adapted to pass through the center of the needlecylinder 10, is formed of links-links stitches in a manner to bedescribed presently.

Consider, as indicated in FIG. 3, the particular series of elements Athrough M which shows the details of needle-passing between thecylinders 10, 12. The jack A has control of the needle B, its beak 62holding the lower hook of the needle B in its needle-receiving end 56;the opposing jack C is guided horizontally along by cams in anticipationof the needle B. As the needle-controlling jack A moves upwardly inresponse to the raise cam 42 to the position indicated by the jack D,its needle E gets so elevated that the needle-latch F gets ca'mmed openby the pointed tip 68 of the needle-anticipating jack G, such jack Gbeing guided horizontally just as the jack C is horizontally guided.Simultaneously with the camming open of the latch F, the loop of yarnwhich had been on the upper hook of the needle E starts to clear thelatch. Further raising the needle E by means of its jack D riding up theraise cam 42, whereby the jack situates as indicated by the jack H,causes the jack H to start to release its needle I to the jack J. Thatis, the cam follower end 64 of the jack H rides up the cam 72, with thejack H pushing the upper hook of the needle I into the needle-receivingend 56 of the jack I. As the cam follower end 64 of the jack H movesagainst its cam 72, it gets depressed into its cutout '66 to release theneedle I and, as this happens, the opposing jack J starts to takecontrol of the needle I. The jack G, in moving to occupy the position ofthe jack J has its cam follower end 64 depressed into its cutout 66, forneedle- I-receiving purposes, by the cam 74; and as the jack I is raisedto occupy the position of the jack K, the cam follower end 64 of thejack K comes out of its cutout 66 so that its beak 62 seizes the upperhook of the needle L. The timing of this operation is so designed thatthe jack J starts to take control of the needle I as the jack H startsto release the needle 1. Continued movement of the seized needle to theposition indicated by the needle M causes the lower hook of the needle Mto take yarn fed at the cloth line 78. Thereafter, this process isrepeated, with the needles 70 passing alternately from one needlecylinder to the other.

While the invention has been described in its preferred form it is to beunderstood that the words which have been used are words of descriptionrather than of limitation, and that changes within the purview of theappended claims may be made without departing from the true scope andspirit of the invention.

Having thus set forth the nature of this invention, what is claimedherein is:

1. In a links and links knitting machine having (a) first and secondneedle beds (10, 12) with respective pluralities of spacially alignedslots (18, 20),

(b) a plurality of double ended needles (70) adapted for passage thereoffrom the slots of one needle bed to the slots of the other needle bed,

(0) first (14) and second (16) pluralities of needlecooperable jacks forrespectively the slots of said first and second needle beds,

(d) a first system of cams (22) for said first plurality of jacks, and asecond system of earns (24) for said second plurality of jacks, saidfirst and second cam systems being adapted to position their respectivejacks within and along the slots in their respective needle beds,

(e) and auxiliary cam means (72, 74) adapted to bear transversely of andagainst said jacks when said jacks are moved along their respectiveslots the improvement wherein (a) each of said jacks has first (52) andsecond (58) parts, said first part being adapted to ride solelytranslationally at the base of and along its respective slot and beingprovided with at least one butt (54) that is adapted for cooperativeengagement with a respective one of said system of cams, and said firstpart 52 being provided with a cutout (66) therein on the same sidethereof that has said one butt (54),

(b) wherein said second jack part (58) is pivotally supported by saidfirst jack part (52), at a fixed point thereof which is intermediate itsends, said second jack part at one side of said pivot point beingadapted for engagement with one end of a respective double ended needle(70), and being provided at the other side of said pivot point with acam follower (64) cooperable with said auxiliary cam means (72, 74),whereby when said cam follower (64) cooperates with said auxiliary cammeans (72, 74), said other side gets depressed into said cutout (66),said cutout (66) being of such size that when said other side isdepressed into said cutout (66) said one side of said second jack partis disengaged from said needle (70).

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said second jack part (58) isprovided with a beak (62) for seizing one end of its correspondingdouble ended needle (70).

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein each of said double ended needles isa latch type needle, and wherein the end of said second jack part thatobtains in proximity with said needle is provided with a latchcontrolling tip (68).

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 6 FOREIGN PATENTS 125,866 1/1902Germany.

18,170 9/ 1 899 Great Britain. 320,269 5/ 1957 Switzerland.

WM. CARTER REYNOLDS, Primary Examiner.

